Liz Claman

Liz Claman and Cheryl Casone are scheduled to compete in this Sunday's NYC Triathlon. It'll be the first triathlon for both women. Claman reports she's been training five days a week (often at 5 a.m.), and Casone spends "six days a week in a pool, on a bike, or running..." Fox Business' Liz Claman is about to run her first triathlon. The mother of two has been training hard.

Claman says, "I'm excited. It's something I've never done. When there is something you've never done before, why not go for that challenge, break out of that mold that forms around you every day at work, do something different." It's really different compared to the "old-school" workouts she used to do. Claman says, "I was the original aerobisizer. Embarrasing. I was at Jane Fonda's workout in Los Angeles when I was eighteen."

But sweating it out with Fonda is no triathlon but, with the help of her health coach, claman is getting both mentally and physically prepared. With a five day a week workout plan that often begins at 5 a.m., claman has her hands full. What is she looking forward to most after she crosses the finish line? She jokes, "cheesecake." The anchor of "Countdown to the Closing Bell" is also a regular contributor to Fox 5 News.

Dayana Mendoza

The gorgeous Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, was crowned the 2008 Miss Universe winner earlier this evening in Nha Trang, Vietman. The pageant, which was hosted by talk show host Jerry Springer and Spice Girl Mel B, had four Latina finalists in the Top 5 – Miss Mexico, Miss Colombia, Miss Dominican Republic, and Mendoza, Miss Venezuela.

Venezuelan native Dayana Mendoza, Miss Universe 2008, will crown her successor at the conclusion of the 2009 Miss Universe telecast. During her reign, Mendoza has traveled the globe as an advocate for HIV/AIDS education, research and legislation. The newly crowned Miss Universe will go on to do the same.

Each contestant from more than 80 countries around the world will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview as they vie for the coveted title of Miss Universe 2009. Billy Bush, co-anchor of "Access Hollywood," and Claudia Jordan of "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Deal or No Deal" will serve as co-hosts of the pageant live from Atlantis, Paradise Island Aug. 23. The competition is slated to air on NBC and Telemundo.

Shana Martin

Shana Martin and her contemporaries today, it occurred to me that a new class of women athletes may be emerging, perhaps even tougher than their male counterparts. News out of one of these competitions, The Lumberjack World Championships, painted a whole new picture of women in sport for this writer. In an article entitled Walking on Water, Penn State student Alyse Schroeder edged out Shana Martin in a race across water, atop logs connected by ropes, and then back again.

Shana, a former gymnast and pole vaulter, is also a trainer, holds a black belt in Karate, and competes in triathlon events. As stated in her bio at Stihl/ESPN, her first love has always been lumberjack sports. The events in Madison take the tough little competitor back home to where it all began for her, and the events and competition have been her way of life obviously. Toughness however, is not always about physical prowess, which Shana learned early on, her mother having Huntington’s disease. Now Shana supports causes to help people and families suffering from the dread affliction.

Shana, like so many great athletes, attributes more of her success to mental toughness, and her need to cope through athletics, than any God given talent. From my perspective, it is really cool to discover new people (to me and maybe you that is) who make “real sport” a valuable part of our lives.